Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park is where towering mountains meet the sea and glaciers carve their way to the coastline. Many travelers start in Anchorage and take the scenic train to Seward, a charming coastal town that feels like the perfect gateway to the park. From there, you can take a boat past massive ice cliffs, kayak near tidewater glaciers, or spot sea otters, puffins, and other wildlife along the shore. With a little planning and some local know-how, we help you experience Kenai Fjords beyond the usual tours—finding quiet coves, prime wildlife spots, and moments that feel personal and unforgettable. It’s a park we love designing trips for at Highline Horizons, and it’s easy to see why so many travelers fall in love with it.
Park History
Kenai Fjords National Park has a history shaped by ice, ocean, and the people who have lived along Alaska’s southern coast for thousands of years. Long before the park was established in 1980, Alaska Native peoples depended on the rich coastal waters and nearby lands for fishing, hunting, and travel. Glaciers flowing into the sea have continually reshaped this landscape, creating the fjords and bays that define the park today.
In more recent history, explorers and scientists were drawn to the area to study its glaciers and marine ecosystems. Protecting this dynamic environment became a priority, leading to the creation of Kenai Fjords National Park. Today, the park preserves a place where glaciers, wildlife, and ocean meet—offering a window into both Alaska’s natural history and its ongoing story of change.
While every Highline Horizons trip is fully customized to your travel style, the sample itinerary below offers a glimpse of what this experience could look like.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1: Scenic Train to Seward
Your adventure begins with the Coastal Classic Train from Anchorage to Seward, winding through the Chugach Mountains, past waterfalls, glaciers, and braided rivers. From the train, you’ll get your first taste of Alaska’s vast wilderness and maybe spot Dall sheep on the cliffs or bald eagles along the rivers. Once in Seward, take a walk along the harbor and the Resurrection Bay Trail to watch sea otters, harbor seals, and seabirds, letting the scale of the fjords sink in before your first night.
Day 2: Kenai Fjords Boat Tour
Today you’ll explore the fjords from the water on a full-day guided boat tour. You’ll visit Aialik and Holgate Glaciers, watch massive ice calve into the water, and keep your eyes peeled for humpback whales, orcas, sea otters, puffins, and Steller sea lions. Along the way, the captain may stop at small beaches or coves where you can stretch your legs, snap photos, and get a closer look at the glaciers and cliffs that define the park. Being on the water gives a sense of scale that no road or trail can match, and it’s a chance to see wildlife up close in their natural environment.
Day 3: Exit Glacier & Harding Icefield Hike
Spend the day on land exploring Exit Glacier. Start with the Edge of the Glacier Trail for a close-up look at the ice, then continue on the Harding Icefield Trail for more expansive views that stretch across the fjords and mountains. Along the hike, you may spot mountain goats, marmots, and eagles, and your guide will share stories about glaciers, the park’s natural history, and the changing landscape. It’s a day that combines adventure with perspective, reminding you just how wild Alaska is.
Day 4: Kayaking & Coastal Exploration
Get out on the water again, this time in a kayak, gliding quietly through one of the quieter fjords. Paddle past cliffs, waterfalls, and floating ice, noticing details that larger boats can’t reach. In the afternoon, follow your guide on a coastal hike to explore tide pools and watch for bald eagles along the cliffs. This combination of kayaking and walking gives you a more personal perspective of the fjords, and the quiet makes it feel like these landscapes are yours to explore.
Day 5: Aialik or Holgate Fjord Excursion
Take a deeper fjord adventure on a full-day boat trip to either Aialik or Holgate Fjord. You’ll land on remote beaches and walk along glacier-fed shores, seeing ice up close and waterfalls tumble straight into the fjords. Keep your eyes open for whales, sea lions, and puffins along the cliffs, and soak in the vast scale of the mountains and glaciers around you. This is one of those days where you can truly feel how immense and untamed Kenai Fjords is.
Day 6: Seward & Hidden Cove Exploration
Spend the morning in Seward visiting the Alaska SeaLife Center, learning about the region’s marine life and conservation efforts. Afterward, take a small-boat tour to hidden coves in Resurrection Bay, where you can explore secluded beaches, paddle quietly along the water, and watch for wildlife like sea otters, seals, and puffins. This day is a slower, reflective balance to the week’s adventures, giving you a chance to appreciate both the wildlife and the town that serves as the gateway to the fjords.
Day 7: Morning in Seward & Departure
On your final morning, take one last walk along the harbor or the Seward Waterfront Trail, watch the sun light up the mountains and bay, and enjoy a quiet coffee with a view. Reflect on a week filled with glaciers, fjords, kayaking, hiking, and wildlife encounters before heading home. This trip gives a complete sense of Kenai Fjords from water, land, and the train, leaving you with a deep appreciation for Alaska’s rugged coastline and untamed beauty.